Puncturevine

Value for beekeeping

Puncturevine is an annual that sprawls flat in hot, dry regions on roadsides, threshing floors, sandy fields and village squares. The small yellow flowers, borne singly in the leaf axils, give little nectar and pollen; they open in the morning and close in the afternoon. Honey bees visit when no other sources are left, during summer drought.

Flowering

It flowers continuously from May to September, even in drought.

Honey and pollen

Its contribution to honey production is insignificant. No reliable record of the pollen colour was found.

Note for the beekeeper

Its hard, sharp-spined fruits pierce animal feet, tyres and bare feet; clearing it from the apiary site is advisable. Eaten in large amounts it is known to cause photosensitivity problems in livestock; no harm to bees from its nectar or pollen has been reported.